ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · mouse · prune · chest · mark · lash · stem · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rush — hurry
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. current — of water
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. current — electric
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. chest — of your body
  17. stem — to come from
  18. chest — a box
  19. current — happening now
  20. mark — a grade
  21. chest — of your body
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stem — a stem cell

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com